Modelling heterogeneity in a manpower system: a review (Q2756673)

The authors review methods of incorporating population heterogeneity into manpower modelling. They focus on manpower wastage which is the most fundamental issue in manpower planning. The authors present the theory of applying semi-Markov models to manpower planning, proportional hazards models, non- time homogeneous models, heterogeneity modelling for finite survival rates, and a mover-stayer model. They conclude that the analysis of differentials in a given manpower system is important, not only because it is a source of aggregation error in stochastic models, but also because the composition of the population and the differential impact of economic, environmental and social forces is of great practical and theoretical concern.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINETwo strategies have been stressed: the use of observable sources of heterogeneity as effect wastage and the assumption of variation on key parameters not precisely identified with any given set of casual factors.